Palace Must Address 'Institutional Racism' Past and Present, U.K. Lawmaker Says

Queen Elizabeth II's palace staff must "address allegations and incidents of institutional racism" after revelations of a 1960s policy barring "colored immigrants" from office jobs, a member of the country's parliament has said.

Lawmaker Bell Ribeiro-Addy called for action after The Guardian unearthed a 1968 government memo outlining a Royal Household policy that confined people of color to servant and domestic roles.

The declassified papers detailed discussions that led to the palace being given an exemption keeping some race and sex discrimination allegations out of the courts.

Ribeiro-Addy, MP for Streatham, in South London, wrote on Twitter: "The monarchy is a public institution funded by public money.

"It is only right that they respond to these revelations and tell the public what they intend to do to address allegations & incidents of institutional racism past & present."

Her comments appeared to reference Meghan Markle's own claims a royal family member expressed concern about how dark her unborn baby's skin might be.

Home Office civil servant TG Weiler detailed the Royal Household's policy in a memo in February 1968 following a meeting with Lord Tryon, who, as keeper of the Privy Purse, was the Queen's chief financial adviser.

Weiler relayed three types of jobs at the palace, as described by Tryon: "(a) Senior posts, which were not filled by advertising or by any overt system of appointment and which would presumably be accepted as outside the scope of the bill; (b) clerical and other office posts, to which it was not, in fact, the practice to appoint colored immigrants or foreigners; and (c) ordinary domestic posts for which colored applicants were freely considered, but which would in any event be covered by the proposed general exemption for domestic employment."

Ultimately, negotiations between the palace and Home Office saw an exemption given to the Royal Household meaning complaints about race or sex discrimination made to the Race Relations Board would be referred to the home secretary, rather than the courts.

Prominent racial justice activist Shola Mos-Shogbamimu echoed Ribeiro-Addy's comments.

She told radio station LBC: "They [Buckingham Palace] had better look into this.

"This is not something that should be swept under the carpet because they must understand that racism is not just a practice but a mindset.

"Even if in the early 1970s, or some time in the 1970s, they decided no longer to have such a policy, the reality is that race superiority is manifested in our country in plain sight.

She added that "there should be redress without any doubt in my mind" and asked: "How can we have a monarchy that is not subject to scrutiny, that is placed above the law?"

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: "Claims based on a second-hand account of conversations from over 50 years ago should not be used to draw or infer conclusions about modern-day events or operations.

"The principles of Crown Application and Crown Consent are long-established and widely known.

"The Royal Household and the Sovereign comply with the provisions of the Equality Act, in principle and in practice.

"This is reflected in the diversity, inclusion and dignity at work policies, procedures and practices within the Royal Household.

"Any complaints that might be raised under the Act follow a formal process that provides a means of hearing and remedying any complaint."